FORT SMITH, Ark. — Northside High School head football coach Felix Curry has been reassigned to a non-coaching position within the Fort Smith Public Schools district. Curry, who became head coach in 2022 after Mike Falluer's retirement, has filed a grievance that the school board has yet to address.
At a school board meeting on Dec. 16, several residents voiced support for Curry during public comments. Two residents attempted to defer their time to Curry, which the board declined and said was not possible because of the grievance filed by the former coach.
"Coach Curry has filed a grievance," board President Dalton Person said. "We have a grievance procedure in place that we will be following, so he is not to be permitted to speak tonight."
Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen, who is representing Curry, also sought to speak as a citizen but was barred due to his role in the grievance case.
"I'm here to exercise my First Amendment rights as a citizen," McCutchen said.
Despite the board's instruction, McCutchen stepped up to the podium to speak. Person asked McCutchen to leave the meeting, and he was escorted out by a Fort Smith Public Schools officer.
Parents of players and community members also defended Curry at Monday's meeting.
"Coach Curry is a stand-up man and has chosen not to get the wins, but he has chosen to try and teach these kids the right things," Brandon Croom said. "I feel that it's an injustice that this man is being fired."
Croom criticized the district's lack of transparency and said residents haven't received an explanation from the board on why Curry was reassigned.
Another resident highlighted Curry's positive impact on the students.
"If we are concerned about winning and losing on the football field only, then it seems like we're sacrificing the students that we say we care about by getting rid of a good man who develops character so they can win off the field as well," Jackie Flake said.
The board didn't provide a timeline on when they will take up Curry's grievance.
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